1000+ images about Admiral Graf Spee on Pinterest | The battle, Montevideo and The germans Forward February 1940, The ships company of HMS, 'Exeter' and HMS, 'Ajax' passing Big Ben, given a rousing welcome in London after the destruction of the German battleship 'Admiral Graf Spee' which was eventually scuttled at the Battle of the River Plate (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images) See More Salvage of Graf Spee range finder — MercoPress Thursday, February 5th 2004 - 20:00 UTC Full article This Friday, weather permitting the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee, scuttled off the coast of Uruguay at the beginning of World War II, will be revealing another of its secrets that has been resting in the muddy waters of the River Plate for decades. A salvage team headed by Héctor Bado with other Uruguayan divers, British and Argentine marine archaeologists and German experts will be collaborating in removing a 27 ton, ten meters tall communications tower that includes one of the first naval radars and a sophisticated range finder for the artillery.

The range finder described as "a state of the art" optical piece for its time gave the feared German pocket battleship and its powerful gunnery an all weather clear precision edge over the Royal Navy. A symbol of the German Navy the Graf Spee prowled the South Atlantic hunting and sinking allied merchant vessels before she was crippled and surrounded by a British flotilla in the River Plate. The battle of the River Plate actually began December 13, 1939 when the Royal Navy group stationed in the Falkland Islands, light cruisers HMS Exeter and HMS Achilles and HMS Ajax from New Zealand commanded by Admiral Harwood confronted the Graf Spee under Captain Hans Langsdorff. After taking several hits the German battleship took refuge in Montevideo and Uruguayan authorities extended a 72 hours period for the necessary repairs. Since time was insufficient Captain Langsdorff left Montevideo and decided to scuttle the vessel in the shallow waters of the River Plate December 17, thus avoiding capture. "We've located the range finder, she's in good condition and clearly distanced from the rest of the vessel", said Mr. Bado.

Salvage entrepreneur Hector Bado and his team that includes Oxford University Marine Archaeologist, Falklands' born Mensun Bound a few years ago rescued one of the Graf Spee's guns which is exhibited in the Uruguayan Naval Museum in Montevideo. However recovering pieces from the German pocket battleship is no easy task in spite of the fact she rests four miles from the coast and eight meters below water surface. River Plate waters can be exceptionally muddy, it's the estuary of one of South America's main fluvial basins; and besides the Graf Spee still is wired with unexploded charges. Salvagers struggle to raise Nazi ship - Technology & science - Science | NBC News Salvagers struggle to raise Nazi ship Winds hamper efforts to raise the Graf Spee Below: Advertise Thomas Schmid-Graf Spee Project / Reuters The range-finding tower of the Nazi battleship Admiral Graf Spee sits by itself at left, on the floor of Uruguay's Plate River, as seen in this computer-generated image made from sonar data late in 2003. The tower was separated from the rest of its ship during its sinking in 1939.

By Bill Cormier + - MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Tricky winds and river currents stymied salvage experts’ repeated attempts Monday to raise a piece of the submerged wreckage of a German battleship scuttled off Uruguay in the opening days of World War II. The ship — the Admiral Graf Spee — was a symbol of German naval might early in the war. The vessel prowled the South Atlantic, sinking as many as nine allied merchant ships before warships from Britain and New Zealand crippled it in December 1939. The Graf Spee’s captain scuttled the ship before committing suicide, and it has remained in waters less than 25 feet (7.5 meters) deep only miles outside the port of Montevideo ever since. Private investors from the United States and Europe are helping to fund a multimillion-dollar recovery effort to remove the ship’s wreckage piece by piece from the River Plate within three years.

14 hours of work On Monday, workers using a 195-foot (60-meter) crane aboard a work barge made four attempts over 14 hours to remove a piece from the 27-ton communications tower that held range-finding equipment for the Graf Spee’s 11-inch (28-centimeter) guns. Hector Bado, head of the recovery operation, told The Associated Press that divers battled blustery winds and choppy waters in an attempt to remove part of the tower. “Removing this piece of equipment is going to take more time than we originally anticipated,” he said. The work began just after dawn and continued past sundown under a South American summer sun with temperatures hitting the upper 80s Fahrenheit (30s Celsius). People on pleasure boats and clifftops used binoculars to watch the recovery effort. 'Pocket battlelship' Feared by many navies at the outset of the war, the Graf Spee was a “pocket battleship” that carried less powerful guns and was smaller than a conventional ship of its class.

Thomas Schmid-Graf Spee Project / Reuters The Graf Spee's range-finding tower sits at lower left, separated from the rest of the ship, in this wide-scale, computer-generated image based on sonar data. British forces tracked it down off the South American coast, and the “Battle of the River Plate” began on Dec. 13, 1939. The German warship was pursued by a battle group consisting of two British light cruisers, HMS Exeter and HMS Ajax, and the HMNZS Achilles of New Zealand. Accounts from the time reported that thousands of Uruguayans followed the booming gunbattle offshore from clifftops along the coast and from high rooftops. The Graf Spee was crippled in the fight after taking several direct hits, and Capt. Hans Langsdorff decided to take refuge in Montevideo harbor. The ship was unable to make the necessary repairs within the 72-hour period in a neutral harbor allowed by international convention. Langsdorff took the limping craft out of the harbor and sank it on Dec. 17, 1939. The crew was taken by ship to Buenos Aires and the captain committed suicide days later.

© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Discuss: For the latest from the frontiers of science, check Multimedia Pursuit of the Graf Spee Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 50 out of 55 people found the following review useful: Pretty good story from Deming, New Mexico, USA 7 September 2004 The "pocket battleship" (in armor and armament, somewhere between a battleship and a heavy cruiser) Graf Spee is abroad in the Atlantic, sinking British merchant shipping. She is tracked down by three British and New Zealand cruisers and after a fierce battle takes refuge in the harbor of Montevideo, Uruguay. In accordance with the Hague Convention, the Graf Spee's Captain Langsdorff is given barely enough time to make his ship seaworthy, without improving her fighting efficiency, before having to leave port. We aren't told exactly what her fighting efficiency is like but we learn she's taken more than fifty hits on the superstructure alone from the British 8-inch guns, and those are big guns.

There are shenanigans going on at the embassies in Montevideo, in which the French and British try to force the Graf Spee to leave as soon as possible, while the Germans argue for more time. All of this is reported by an opportunistic American from a well-positioned outdoor cafe where the proprietor demands he keep ordering scotch if he's going to sit there and take up the customers' space. Langsdorff is cleverly led by the British to assume that the three cruisers waiting for him outside the harbor have been joined by several other capital ships including an aircraft carrier. The rumor has been deliberately spread by British staff (over an unscrambled phone line in a hilarious scene) and everyone believes it, including Langsdorff. The German captain takes his ship out of the harbor at the appointed time but scuttles her after ordering the crew off. The British have won the Battle of the River Plate, partly through courage and partly through intelligent use of misinformation. Actually, considering that it's a "war movie" it's pretty good natured. The British crack jokes in the midst of battle.

When a shell hits nearby and burns up some possessions, one sailor approaches another bearing a pair of charred boots on a tray and asks, "You ordered the toast?" When sailors die, they do so almost nonchalantly, with time for a brave few words like, "See to the others." As far as that goes, the film gives you a fairly decent picture of what sea duty can be like: operating the rudder from the steering aft position, for instance. (What a job!) The movie demonstrates the advantage of using real ships instead of models. The problem with model work has to do with texture. The splashes of exploding shells, for instance, send up drops of water as big as basketballs. But here there is some drop-dead gorgeous photography of ships making smoke and heeling around. Not even modern computer graphics could manage so effectively. The Germans are treated humanely too, this being 1956 and not 1946. The Germans have a number of British prisoners aboard the Graf Spee and they celebrate Christmas together, with the captors presenting the captives with Christmas decorations. When a German officer announces to the prisoners that they will soon be released in Montevideo, he cheers along with the British.

Among the funniest scenes are those involving the blowhard American reporter. "The whole world is watching and waiting with suspense for the Battle of the Ages," or something like that. "Lays it on a bit thick, doesn't he?" asks one British listener. After a few days of this boreal oratory the reporter's voice is going and he begins to swill liquor, surrounded by a dozen glasses of scotch. "Excuse me while I get a drink," he hoarsely tells his listeners. Withall, though, there is a tragic figure here, and that is the wounded Captain Langsdorff who has fought the good fight and is now forced to sail his ship into what he believes is certain disaster. Finch does a good job with the role, as does the script. There isn't a moment when he loses his dignity. And his courtliness seems inbred. The Brits say of him, "He's a gentleman," and, "He's a good seaman." A cheaper movie would have given Finch an unnecessary speech: "A captain belongs to his ship, just as the ship belongs to the captain. This is breaking my heart.

I feel as if someone had just taken my Marzipan away." It's a genuinely sad moment when we see the coffins of the German sailors killed in battle. And although the movie ends with the victorious and quite beautiful white British cruisers sailing off into the sunset, the fact is that Langsdorff shot and killed himself shortly after these events. Was the above review useful to you? 43 out of 48 people found the following review useful: A masterful depiction of the first major naval battle of the Second World War. from Australia 7 June 2004 I often wonder why this film was re-named The Battle of the River Plate when the actual action took place 150 miles to the east in the South Atlantic. Nevertheless it is a great production brought all the closer to reality by the use of two of the original Allied cruisers which were still in commission at the time of filming. The big problem was the choice of a warship to fill the role of the pocket battleship Graf Spee which had already been scuttled and that of her two sister ships which were also destroyed before the end of the war.

The choice of the heavy cruiser USS Salem while not perfect was probably the best the producers could come up with despite it's extra tier of forward and rear main guns and the familiar U.S. Navy number 139 on it's bough. The storyline of the film is held together through the eyes of Captain Dove played by Bernard Lee who is taken aboard the Graf Spee after his merchant ship Africa Shell becomes one of her victims. Loosely held as a prisoner Dove is given an insight into the Graf Spee's tactics as a surface raider and that she is in fact masquerading as an American warship with false gun turrets and a bough number, solving the producers dilemma of explaining the different physical characteristics of each warship. The actual battle while well done does show a few inconsistencies in that the near miss salvos are more like large splashes and at times the Graf Spee looks motionless while being bombarded by allied shells.

This is more than made up by the fine acting of the combatants, with Anthony Quale giving a best of British tradition role as task force leader Commodore Henry Harwood along with John Gregson as Captain Bell of HMS Exeter and Jack Gwillim as Captain Parry of the New Zealand cruiser Achilles. Peter Finch is perfect in the role of the chivalrous and compassionate German commander of the Graf Spee Hans Langsdorff who in real life displayed these rare qualities and was immensely respected by those on both sides of the conflict. When the Graf Spee puts into Montevideo harbour in neutral Uruguay to effect repairs a great diplomatic battle ensues over her sanctuary and the story switches to a tense minute by minute dockside radio coverage by American reporter Mike Fowler played in true journalistic style by Lionel Murton. Meanwhile two of the three British Cruisers supported by a newly arrived warship Cumberland maintain a vigil out to sea while their embassy engages in it's own brand of propaganda to deceive the Germans into believing they are up against a vastly superior British naval force.

Langsdorff falls for the ruse and after seeing his men to safety scuttles his mighty warship precisely at sunset a few miles out of Montevideo in the mouth of the River Plate. With the expectations that another and greater naval action was forthcoming this fateful decision gives the end of the film somewhat of an anti-climax but it was the factual truth and a necessary conclusion to maintain it's credibility. To add a final footnote, there is presently underway a large salvage operation to raise as much of the Graf Spee as possible and eventually put it on display in a museum in Montevideo. Was the above review useful to you? 30 out of 34 people found the following review useful: A solid entry from Powell/Pressburger from New York, NY 9 December 2004 Not withstanding the negative comments of some critics, this is another great Powell/Pressburger film. Perhaps what prevents it from getting its due is that it looks like another entry in the "big WW II battle recreation" genre, but the structure, the performances, and the film's intent in general aren't really in the service of that genre.

The climactic battle is fought in the middle of the film, and the last third unexpectedly takes place on the docks and in the cafes and embassies of Montevideo, with a festival air and comedy relief. Powell rightly feels that the core of the film is Bernard Lee's admiration of his captor; indeed, the final scene is the expression of that admiration. Yet the viewer isn't "pointed" to that relationship. All the expository dialogue serves the battle scenes--where the Spee might be, how to attack it, the relationship between the British Commodore and his Captains--and later, the strategies of the Spee's leaving port. Particularly in the latter part, there's a lot of discussion which doesn't relate to the film's denouement. And the collection of British prisoners on the Spee don't coalesce into an ensemble. In an odd way, their fate never seems integrated into the battle, nor does it particularly highlight the relationship between Lee and Finch. This unusual structure is in part due to the film apparently following actual events fairly closely, and actual events don't follow conventional dramatic structure.

But, really, that absence of conventional structure, and the refusal to emphasize the Lee-Finch relationship or to make it a dominant theme, are the film's greatest strengths. Finally, note should be taken of the superb photography in VistaVision. Was the above review useful to you? 26 out of 28 people found the following review useful: Rousing well made movie, using some of the original ships. from Auckland, New Zealand 30 September 1999 Fine, entertaining movie of the famous sea battle between 3 smaller British warships versus the great German Pocket Battleship "Graf Spee". Tremendous sea scenes , aided by the fact that most of the original ships which fought the actual battle are used in the movie. Well acted all-round with Peter Finch doing a fine job as Captain Langsdorf. Was the above review useful to you? 20 out of 23 people found the following review useful: Excellent British Naval Drama. A Must-see. from United States, Chicago 15 September 2005 I love this movie. Peter Finch stars as Capt. Langsdorf of the German "pocket" battleship Admiral Graf Spee.

He is perfect; from the almost swashbuckly entrance and dialogue with Capt. Dove, a merchant captain whose ship they've just sunk, to the trance-like confusion at the end of the film. There are so many great actors in this film its almost like "the Longest Day," except these guys act. Christopher Lee as Manolo, the jealous bar owner; Anthony Quayle as Commodore Harwood; Anthony Newly as a sailor with about three lines that he still manages to over-act; and John Gregson, who plays Capt. Bell of the British cruiser Exeter. Well known, and often quirky co-directors and writers, Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell bring together spectacular shots of many of the actual ships involved in the battle with an almost ensemble-like feeling in the cast. From the British Ambassador with the no-nonsense, sharped-tongued secretary to the goofy-gaucho interpreter for the reporter, Mike Fowler, these powerfully presented characters intensify the real drama of this battle. It wasn't just a sea battle, it was political, involving sailors, spies, and bad cafe singing. Was the above review useful to you?

15 out of 16 people found the following review useful: Exceptional, but certainly not everyone's cup of tea. 14 May 2008 *** This review may contain spoilers *** This film is about the final days of the German pocket battleship (like a heavy cruiser), GRAF SPEE. This ship did a lot of damage to British shipping during the early days of the war until she was ultimately hunted down by a small armada of smaller and very vulnerable naval vessels. I enjoyed this film very much because I am a history teacher and love realistic war films. Unfortunately, while this film was big on realism, it also will probably seem a tad dull to the average person because it did stress realism and not huge name actors and unnecessary action. While there were many fine British actors in important roles (Anthony Quayle, Bernard Lee and Peter Finch, among others), to the average American audience they probably will seem more like sea men versus actors. This and the script really worked together to produce a film that seemed almost like a documentary in how it tried very hard to get the details right--and as a WWII buff, this impressed me very much.

There are a few omissions or mistakes in the film, but they aren't all that important. First, of course the Spee had been sunk, so an American ship filled in--and this is certainly forgivable. Second, oddly, in the original version, the movie is called "The Battle of the River Plate" but there was no River Plate. The word was "Plata"--meaning Silver River when correctly translated into English. Finally, and I can understand why they didn't mention this, shortly after the German Captain scuttled his ship he committed suicide. However, I did appreciate how the film portrayed him as an ultimately decent and competent man--a nice requiem for a fallen enemy who was just doing his duty. Overall, not a film for the casual viewer but certainly one for history and naval buffs out there. Great stuff. Was the above review useful to you?

17 out of 20 people found the following review useful: Request permission to update list of spares from Munich, Germany 22 March 2008 The Events around the Battle of the River Plate have always been somewhat special next to the sinking of the Bismarck for me, as Germany does not have such a rich history of sea battles as England does. Two things stand out : First the very positive display of the Captain of the Graf Spee, Langsdorff, treating his prisoners positively and trying to kill ships but not humans and even saving his crew from heroic death in Battle by sinking the ship by himself and refusing to go into battle. And his tragic end by suicide. Second, the laconic display of the British Officers and Men in Battle. This is where my title quote is coming from, as a message issued by the Captain of the shut-down and burning Exeter trying to escape to safety after the Battle and heavy hits. Otherwise it seems to be a rather careful display of events, although the scenes in Montevideo are sometimes play out like a prelude to a Carry On Farce.

Greatest weakness is, that we totally loose sight of the German views and events on board Graf Spee once the battle has started. Totally 6 of 10 Was the above review useful to you? 17 out of 24 people found the following review useful: Historical and epic battle between the Graf Spee and British cruisers Author: ma-cortes 23 October 2006 This is a splendid British film concerning historic deeds during WWII , the naval battle in the South Atlantic between British cruiser squadron of three ships and the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee , Dic 1939 . The main and secondary cast are stunningly incarnated by a magnificent plethora of English actors . The film contains a colorful and glimmer cinematography by Christopher Challis and an atmospheric musical score . The movie is well produced by Archers production and professionally directed by Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell . The motion picture will appeal to warlike genre buffs and British classic movie fans . Rating : Better than average .

The film is based on true events , these are the following : Though the British cruisers were no match for the battleship , Admiral Sir Henry Harwood (Anthony Quayle) launched an attack to Graf Spee (with 6 cannons,280 mm) . German fire seriously damaged HMS Exeter (commanded by John Cregson as captain Bell) with cannons 203mm , put half of HMS Ajax (captain Woodhouse played by Ian Hunter)'s guns out of action , and then damaged Achilles (cannons 152 mm) , but the cruisers did sufficient damage to the German ship to make its captain break off and run for shelter in Montevideo , Uruguay . The British followed and waited in international waters outside the neutral port . The Uruguay government ordered the Germans to leave after 72 hours . The British cruisers called Royal and Renown were near from Montevideo and Langsdorff (Peter Finch) didn't wait possibilities to vanquish . Hitler , reluctant to risk the Graf Spee being sunk by heavier British warship which were sailing for the River Plate , ordered the captain to scuttle the vessel .

He did so 17 Dec 1939 and three days later shot himself . Was the above review useful to you? 10 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Top quality war movie 20 December 2004 *** This review may contain spoilers *** At the beginning of World War 2 the German navy positioned the pocket battleship Graf Spee, ready and waiting to prey on allied shipping, which it did with deadly efficiency. Following a major sea battle with a British task force the Graf Spee was forced to seek refuge in a south American port to make repairs. The cameras of the world's press focused on Montevideo as the German ship struggled to regain its fighting ability while the Royal Navy converged to attack when it was, inevitably, forced to leave. A brilliant espionage operation convinced Captain Hans Langsdorff that 1/2 the British navy was waiting for him, so he scuttled the ship in the harbor and subsequently shot himself. Those are the facts and they're wonderfully re-created in this riveting film. Powell and Pressburger paid meticulous attention to detail and it shows throughout.

I really admired their honesty in showing the battle and what happened later as objectively as it could be, whilst still (always) remaining good entertainment. Peter Finch gave a fantastic, intense performance as the doomed Captain. The real Langsdorff was a man of the highest intelligence and integrity, a tragic example of a fine man who found himself forced to serve an evil regime, and Finch truly conveyed the battle Langsdorff must have been fighting within himself; conscience versus duty. In the end his conscience won. Captain Langsdorff took his own life in a hotel room, lying on an old "imperial" German navy flag, a calculated insult to Hitler. I'm glad the Graf Spee was destroyed but sad that Langsdorff was one of SO many victims of this terrible war. The Battle Of The River Plate is an excellent portrayal of this true-life drama. Well worth seeing. Was the above review useful to you?

15 out of 22 people found the following review useful: A change of pace from Powell & Pressburger Author: vaughan.birbeck 1 October 2001 Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger are probably best known for their mystical, romantic films like: 'A Matter of Life and Death'; 'Black Narcissus', and 'The Red Shoes'. 'Battle of the River Plate' is a decent film, but it does have some awkward lapses. There is some excellent footage shot at sea using veteran Royal Navy ships. Unfortunately this sits uneasily with the studio sets. During the battle scenes I had the uneasy feeling someone out of shot was throwing buckets of water in the air to simulate shell-fire. Instead of indulging in Technicolor, I feel the producers should have gone for the harsher monochrome which 'The Cruel Sea' and 'Sink the Bismarck!' use so well. Black and white photography also makes the shift between location and studio work much less obvious. There are some good performances in the film, notably Peter Finch as Langsdorff.

I remember seeing newsreel footage of the real Langsdorff attending the funeral of his men in Montevideo, he gave a German Naval salute instead of the Nazi version. His portrayal as a 'decent' German has a basis in fact. The battle of the River Plate was the last Naval action to take place without the benefit of technical advances such as radar. It was a fine piece of seamanship and the story deserved to be told. At the end of this film, unfortunately, you can't help feeling it could have been told better. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 5: Nazi Pocket Battleship Admiral Graf Spee - From The Nazi Germany Archives Book Choice: Ten Years Since The Revolution. 10/10. Nazi pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee Admiral Graf Spee at the 1937 Fleet Review at Spithead. In the background are the battleship HMS Resolution and the battlecruiser HMS Hood.

Career (Nazi Germany) Eight 9-cylinder double-acting two-stroke MAN diesels two screws, 52,050 hp 8,900 nautical miles at 20 knots (16,500 km at 37 km/h) Or 19,000 nautical miles at 10 knots (35,000 km at 18.5 km/h) Complement: Early version of Seetakt radar Armament: 6 ï¿½ 280 mm (11 inch) 8 ï¿½ 150 mm (5.9 inch) 6 ï¿½ 105 mm (4.1 inch) 8 ï¿½ 37 mm 10 ï¿½ 20 mm 8 ï¿½ 533 mm (21 inch) torpedo tubes Armor: Aircraft carried: Two Arado 196 seaplanes, one catapult The Nazi pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was one of the most famous German naval warships of World War II, along with the Bismarck.

Her size was limited to that of a cruiser by the Treaty of Versailles, but she was as heavily armed as a small battleship due to innovative weight-saving techniques employed in her construction. She was sent to the Atlantic Ocean as a commerce raider in 1939, where she sank nine Allied merchant ships. Numerous British hunting groups were assigned to find her, with three British ships finally tracking her down in December 1939. The Battle of the River Plate ensued, during which the Graf Spee was damaged. She docked for repairs in the neutral port of Montevideo, but was forced by international law to leave within 72 hours. Faced with what he believed to be overwhelming odds, the captain scuttled his ship rather than risk the lives of his crew. Description Admiral Graf Spee was a Deutschland class cruiser. Launched in 1934, she was named after the World War I Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee who died, along with two of his sons, in the first Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914.

She was the second vessel to be named after him, the first being the uncompleted World War I German battlecruiser SMS Graf Spee. Before Admiral Graf Spee was given her official name, she was referred to as Panzerschiff C and Ersatz Braunschweig, as she would be replacing the old battleship Braunschweig in the fleet inventory. She cost 82 million Reichsmark to build. After World War I, replacement capital ships for the German Navy were limited by the Treaty of Versailles to 10,000 tons and 11 inch (280 mm) guns. Electric arc welding was used in her construction instead of conventional rivets, thereby saving considerable weight by not requiring overlapping steel plates. Furthermore, Graf Spee?s eight main engines used diesel fuel, an unconventional configuration at the time that also contributed to weight saving. The weight saving allowed her carry a main gun of the same calibre as a battleship, while remaining near the displacement limit of the Treaty of Versailles., hence the classification by the British of her and her two sisters, Deutschland (later renamed L?/i>) and Admiral Scheer, as pocket battleships.

A year after the Graf Spee's loss, her sisters were reclassified as heavy cruisers. Technologically, Admiral Graf Spee was ahead of her time, being the first ship in the Kriegsmarine to be equipped with Seetakt radar. Unlike steam engines, raw low-grade bunker fuel needed treatment before it could be used in her diesel engines. A separating system routinely pre-cleaned the fuel and deposited it in six ready tanks situated close to the engines. The separators used high pressure steam produced in a boiler room lying between decks, aft of the funnel and above the armoured deck. History of the Graf Spee Graf Spee in 1936 Graf Spee's last captain was Hans Langsdorff, a longstanding naval officer who had seen action at the Battle of Jutland, and who assumed command of the ship on 1 November 1938. After commissioning in 1936, Admiral Graf Spee served as fleet flagship until 1938 and performed international maritime control duties off the coast of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Prior to the invasion of Poland plans were made to deploy the Panzerschiffe as raiders in the Atlantic Ocean.

Admiral Graf Spee sailed from Wilhelmshaven on 21 August 1939, to act as a commerce raider in the South Atlantic. Langsdorff plotted a course to cross major shipping lanes at night to avoid detection. Supported by her supply ship, the tanker Altmark, her orders were to sink British merchant ships, but to avoid combat with superior enemy forces, thus threatening vital Allied supply lines and drawing British naval units off their stations in other parts of the world. Graf Spee received orders on 26 September 1939 to "commence active participation in the trade war." On 30 September the 5050-ton British tramp steamer Clement was stopped and sunk off Brazil with twenty thousand cases of kerosene bound from New York to Salvador, Brazil. Graf Spee radioed the location of Clements lifeboats and Clements captain and first officer were placed aboard the neutral Greek steamer Papalemos a few days later. Graf Spee stopped the 4650-ton British tramp steamer Newton Beach on 5 October with a cargo of maize. Newton Beach served as a prison ship with a prize crew until 8 October.

The 4222-ton British steamer Ashlea with a cargo of sugar was stopped and sunk on 7 October. The 8196-ton British liner Huntsman with a cargo of tea was stopped on 10 October, and became a replacement prison ship. Graf Spee used Huntsmans radio to transmit a deceptive message indicating Huntsman had been attacked by a submarine at a different location. Huntsman was sunk after transferring the prisoners to Altmark on 17 October. Graf Spee machine-gunned the bridge and upper deck of the 5299-ton British steamer Trevanion (loaded with ore concentrates) on 22 October when that ship tried to radio a distress message. The cruise of Admiral Graf Spee with ships sunk Graf Spee moved into the Indian Ocean on 28 October and sank the motor tanker Africa Shell (in ballast) in the Mozambique channel in 15 November. Graf Spee returned to the South Atlantic and sank the 10086-ton Blue Star liner Doric Star on 2 December with a cargo of meat, dairy products, and wool.

Doric Star radioed a distress message; and sabotaged its engines so it could not be taken as a prize. Graf Spee sank Tairoa with a cargo of meat, wool, and lead on 3 December after the 7983-ton steamer radioed a distress call. The 3895-ton steamer Streonshalh with a cargo of wheat was sunk on 9 December. Captain Hans Langsdorff strictly adhered to the rules of mercantile warfare at the time and saved all of the crew members of these ships; not a life was lost in these sinkings. The captured crews were transferred to the tanker Altmark. Later, these 303 crew members were freed by force in neutral Norwegian territorial waters by the British destroyer HMS Cossack (the Altmark Incident). Battle of the River Plate Britain formed eight hunting groups in the Atlantic and one in the Indian Ocean to look for Admiral Graf Spee, totalling three battleships, two battlecruisers, four aircraft carriers, and 16 cruisers (including several French ships). More groups were assembled later.

On 13 December 1939, she was located by the British Hunting Group G, consisting of the 8 inch (203 mm) gunned cruiser HMS Exeter and the 6 inch (152 mm) gunned light cruisers HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles (of the New Zealand Division), and the Battle of the River Plate ensued. During the battle, the Graf Spee inflicted heavy damage upon the Exeter, forcing the latter to break off the engagement. Later in the exchange, one of Graf Spee's shells caused some casualties on the Achilles. In return, the Graf Spee was hit repeatedly by the 6-inch shells of the light cruisers, which could not penetrate her armour but nonetheless inflicted significant topside damage. On the other hand, Exeter?s 8-inch hits ran through the armour easily. About 06:38 an 8-inch shell penetrated two decks and exploded in Graf Spee?s funnel area, causing crippling internal damage. Exeter?s early 8-inch hit wrecked the boiler room, shutting down the fuel-separating system. Chief Engineer Commander Klepp advised the captain they could not repair the damage at sea.

Klepp estimated the ship had about sixteen hours of running time, using pre-cleaned fuel from the day tanks. They could not replace the rapidly depleting fuel, so the ship was denied the possibility of outrunning her pursuers on the open sea. Final docking Admiral Graf Spee entered the neutral port of Montevideo, Uruguay for repairs. The damage was surveyed by a British observer on 14 December 1939, who reported that the port midship 6" gun was unserviceable, the starboard anti-aircraft guns appeared out of action, rangefinders were out of action, the aircraft was wrecked, there were shell holes in the control tower and two holes below the waterline. In total, there was evidence of 30-60 hits. Captain Langsdorff and the Chief Engineer carefully kept the fuel problem secret. Although the specific details were signaled to SKL in January 1940 this vital information lay buried from public knowledge for sixty years. One of Langsdorff's first actions when he entered Montevideo was to release the 62 crew of the merchant ships he had sunk during her most recent voyage.

Out of nine merchant ships sunk, none of the crews had been killed. All of those released spoke highly of their treatment and of Langsdorff, who spoke perfect English and lent them English books to pass the time. Captain Dove of the Africa Shell had already become friends with Langsdorff. Under the Hague Convention of 1907, the Graf Spee was not entitled to remain in the port for more than 24 hours, without risking internment. In addition, and notwithstanding the rule already mentioned, under the same convention, the Graf Spee had to give British merchant ships 24 hours start if they left port, and the British Consul organised for the merchant ships in port to sail at 24 hour intervals, effectively locking the Spee in the port whilst at the same time spreading propaganda about the vast fleet of British warships converging on the area. On 14 December, British Minister Millington-Drake officially requested that the Uruguayan government intern the ship if she stayed in port longer than 24 hours, on grounds that she was still seaworthy.

The Uruguayan government obliged, announcing that if the Graf Spee did not sail within 72 hours of its arrival, it would be interned. On 15 December, the ship's 36 dead were buried with full military honours in the German cemetery in Montevideo. At the funeral ceremony, Captain Hans Langsdorff used the naval salute, while all others around him used the Nazi salute. Many officers of the sunk ships attended the burial of those killed in the battle. A ruse by the British intelligence encouraged the captain to think that he was out-numbered, with aircraft carriers and battleships on their way and that his escape route was cut off. In fact, only the Cumberland arrived in time to reinforce the existing ships. Graf Spee wreck in 1940 Graf Spee wreck in 1940 There were three possible channels that the Graf Spee could use in order to escape to the open sea, and the waiting British warships had to cover all of them. Captain Langsdorff had been in discussion with the Kriegsmarine over the various options available to him, which included fighting on, internment at Montevideo or scuttling the ship.

Adolf Hitler responded personally, writing the following in his own handwriting: ? Attempt by all means to extend time in neutral waters in order to guarantee freedom of action as long as possible. Fight your way through to Buenos Aires, using remaining ammunition. No internment at Uruguay. Attempt effective destruction of ship if scuttled. ? At 6:15pm on 17 December 1939, the German warship left Montevideo harbour, with the British 6-inch (152 mm) gunned cruisers Ajax, Achilles, and the 8-inch (203 mm) gunned Cumberland waiting nearby in international waters. However, instead of trying to fight through the blockade, the German warship sailed just outside the harbour, and at 7:52, was scuttled in the estuary at 34?58'18?S 56?18'4?W? / ?34.97167?S 56.30111?W?

/ -34.97167; -56.30111Coordinates: 34?58'18?S 56?18'4?W? / ?34.97167?S 56.30111?W? / -34.97167; -56.30111 by her crew in order to avoid risking the crew in what Captain Langsdorff expected to be a losing battle. Captain Langsdorff committed suicide three days later by shooting himself, in order to prove he had not acted out of fear for his own life.[citation needed] Crew internment Part of the crew of the Graf Spee were interned in Argentina where many stayed, even after the war ended in 1945. Since Argentina was friendlier than Uruguay, the Captain expected the crew would be released, but in the end this was not the case.

Some of the crew were transferred to Montevideo, but these crew members, together with those of the German ship Tacoma, were subsequently transferred to the Cuartel Paso del Rey (English: "Barracks Quarter of the Passage of the King"), Durazno where the Military District II infantry guarded them. They remained here until transferred back to Montevideo and repatriated to Germany in 1946. Numerous objects pertaining to the Graf Spee remain at the Cuartel Paso del Rey museum. The Germans' behaviour during their stay in Montevideo, especially Langsdorff's action when faced with possible defeat at British hands, was held in high regard in Uruguay. Many locals feared that their city could become directly endangered during any hostilities, and Langsdorff's decision to leave port was seen as partly motivated by a desire not to cause such harm. Salvage Immediately after the scuttling in shallow water, much of the ship's superstructure remained above water level, but then over the years the wreck subsided into the muddy bottom and today only the tip of the mast remains above the surface.

The first salvage from the ship was most likely carried out by Royal Navy intelligence teams which recovered the highly advanced Seetakt radar not destroyed in the scuttling. In late January 1940, the wreck was boarded by US Navy sailors from the light cruiser USS Helena. Graf Spee's salvaged telemeter Graf Spee's salvaged telemeter In February 2004 a salvage team began work raising the wreck of the Admiral Graf Spee. The operation is in part being funded by the government of Uruguay, in part by the private sector, as the wreck is now a hazard to navigation. The first major section, a 27-ton gunnery range-finding telemeter, was raised on 25 February 2004. The anchor and rangefinder are currently displayed in the port area of Montevideo. It is expected to take several years to raise the entire wreck. Film director James Cameron is filming the salvage operation. After it has been raised, it is planned that the ship will be restored and put on display at the National Marine Museum in the Buceo neighborhood of Montevideo.

On 10 February 2006, the 2 metres (6.6 ft) eagle figurehead of the Admiral Graf Spee was removed from the stern of the ship and recovered. To protect the feelings of those sensitive to Nazi Germany, the swastika at the base of the figurehead was covered as it was pulled from the water. Graf Spee In popular culture The sinking of the Graf Spee was dramatised in the 1956 film The Battle of the River Plate, directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger. A tactical computer game called Admiral Graf Spee was released by Temptation Software for the ZX Spectrum in 1982.

Commanding officers Construction Indoctrination - KzS Conrad Patzig - 7 October 1935 - 6 January 1936 KzS Conrad Patzig - 6 January 1936 - 2 October 1937 KzS Walter Warzecha - 2 October 1937 - 1 November 1938 KzS Hans Langsdorff - 1 November 1938 - 17 December 1939 Graf Spee: Further reading Captain Patrick Dove, I Was Graf Spee's Prisoner (Cherry Tree Books, London & Manchester, 1940) Siegfried Breyer, Battleships and Battlecruisers 1905-1970 (Doubleday and Company; Garden City, New York, 1973) (originally published in German as Schlachtschiffe und Schlachtkreuzer 1905-1970, J.F. Lehmanns, Verlag, Munchen, 1970). Contains various line drawings of the ship as designed and as built. Jak P.

Malmann Showell, The German Navy in World War Two (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1979), ISBN 0-87021-933-2 Dudley Pope, The Battle of the River Plate (William Kimber & Co, 1956; Republished Pan Books 1974), ISBN 0-330-24020-X Eric J Grove, The price of disobedience, UK 2000 , ISBN 1-55750-429-6 Joseph Gilbey, Langsdorff of the Graf Spee: Prince of Honor, Canada 1999, ISBN 0-9685994-0-0 Joseph Gilbey, Kriegsmarine: Admiral Raeder's Navy - A Broken Dream., Canada 2005, ISBN 0-9685994-1-9 Enrique R.

Dick, Tras La Estela del Graf Spee, Buenos Aires 1996, ISBN 950-43-8113-8 (published in Spanish, author is son of a Graf Spee crew member) Graf Spee range finder recovered. — MercoPress Thursday, February 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC Full article Finally after weeks of frustrated attempts a team of divers with the help of a floating crane from the port of Montevideo, Uruguay, managed this Wednesday evening to recover the range finder of the German battleship Admiral Graf Spee sunk in the River Plate since December 1939. The salvage team headed by experienced Uruguayan diver Hector Bado had left early morning for the area where the once mighty vessel of the German Navy was scuttled six miles off the Uruguayan coast in the shallow muddy waters of the River Plate. The ten meters and over 27 tons "state of the art" optical piece gave the feared pocket battleship and its powerful gunnery an all weather precision edge over the other navies of its time.

Previous attempts this summer had failed because of rather strong prevailing winds that impeded the crane from operating and in one instance a broken sling, something which also happened mid afternoon this Wednesday but the salvage team with the help of the Uruguayan Navy this time were prepared for such a surprise. Once conditioned the range finder will be exhibited in Uruguay and according to Uruguayan entrepreneur Alfredo Etchegaray who has a licence for the recovery of the German Navy vessel, "this is the first leg of a greater project that includes extracting three guns, and if possible the rest of the battleship", which is sunk in waters no deeper than eight to ten meters. The salvage team includes British Marine Archaeologist Mensum Bound from Oxford University and German Navy archivist Thomas Schmidt. A symbol of the German Navy the Graf Spee prowled the South Atlantic hunting and sinking allied merchant vessels before she was crippled and surrounded by a British flotilla in the River Plate. The battle of the River Plate actually began December 13, 1939 when the Royal Navy group stationed in the Falkland Islands, light cruisers HMS Exeter and HMS Achilles and HMS Ajax from New Zealand commanded by Admiral Harwood confronted the Graf Spee under Captain Hans Langsdorff.

After taking several hits the German battleship took refuge in Montevideo and Uruguayan authorities extended a 72 hours period for the necessary repairs. Since time was insufficient Captain Langsdorff left Montevideo and decided to scuttle the vessel in the shallow waters of the River Plate December 17, thus avoiding capture. In 1997 diver Hector Bado and Mensun Bound managed to rescue one of the Graf Spee's guns which is exhibited in the Uruguayan Naval Museum in Montevideo.

Question: Which German battleship is being salvaged from the River Plate?
Answer: Admiral Graf Spee